Elevator rail bracket positioning device



1964 J. J. MYLES' 3,161,

ELEVATOR RAIL BRACKET POSITIONING DEVICE Filed April 28, 1961 INVENI OR 34 1 7 JOHN J. MYLES ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,161,964 ELEVATGR RAIL BRACKET PQSITEONING DEVICE John 5. Myles, Box 1633, Rte. 1, Indian Head, Md, assignor of one-haif to Eugene T. Dimmiek, Temple Hills, Md. Filed Apr. 28, 1361, Ser. No. 196,369 1 Claim. (Cl. 323-189) The present invention relates to a tool for positionin the elevator rail support brackets in an elevator shaft.

In the construction of elevators, it has been the custom to establish the position of the rails, on which the elevator cab rides, by means of a taut plumb line depending from an overhead support in the elevator shaft, and to position each rail support bracket on its mounting bracket with reference to such line. Difficulty has been experienced in positioning each bracket at a predetermined location with respect to the plumb line and at the same time perpendicular to the rail position. A slight deviation from either the plumb line position or the perpendicular position, when securing the support bracket to the mounting bracket results in the rail being secured improperly and in an out of aligned position with respect to the truly vertical position desired.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tool or device which permits the precision positioning of both rail support brackets in an elevator shaft.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tool or device for setting elevator rail support brackets on bracket mounting members with ease and facility, with a saving in time and labor.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully apparent from the following description when considered with the attached drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the device of the present invention with a midportion broken away,

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the assembly of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view, on an enlarged scale, of one end portion of the device showing its use, and

FIG. 4 is a view on line 44 of FIG. 3.

With reference to the drawing in detail, the numeral 1i) designates generally the wall or structural component in 1G. 3 which lines an elevator shaft, it being understood that there is an opposed wall or structural component 19 directly opposite and in parallel relation.

The tool or device of the present invention is designated generally by the numeral 20 and the purpose of the invention is to align and position rail supporting brackets, as at 12 in FIG. 3, on mounting brackets 14 which have been secured to the component by a previous operation not here described and not being a part of the invention.

The tool or device 26 consists in a central channel shaped member 22 telescopingly arranged within two other channel shaped members 24, and 26, the latter members 24 and 26 having portions circumposed about or embracing the end portions of the central member 22, as shown in PEG. 1.

The end portions of the central member 22 are provided in each flange with elongated slots 28, shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3. The shank of a bolt 30 extends through holes provided in the fianges of the members 24 and 26 and through the adjacent slot 28 in the respective end portion of the central member 22.

An angle member 32 is secured by welding or other means to the end of each member 24 and 26 remote from the central member 22. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 the angle member 32 has one leg 34 secured to the adjacent end portion of the member 26 and is disposed with the other leg 36 vertical and above the leg 34.

A spirit level 38 is secured to the web 49 of the chan- Bdhlfibd Patented Dec. 22, 1964 nel member 22 intermediate the ends thereof. Scale indicia in inches, as at 42 in FIG. 1, is marked or inscribed on the web of the member 22 and cooperates with the adjacent end of the respective member 24 or 26 to enable a user of the tool to set the members 22, 24 and 26 so as to span an opening of desired length.

It will be observed in FIG. 1, that the angle member 32 is offset relative to the longitudinal axis of the members 22, 24, 26. This permits the positioning of the device 20 so that arrow indicia 44, imprinted or inscribed on the webs of the members 24 and 26, at spaced distances from the ends of the angle member legs 34, may be aligned with the cord 4-6 of a plumb line having a plumb bob 48 at the lower end thereof when the cord 46 is suspended in a desired position in an elevator shaft.

In FIG. 4, two other markings or indicia, as at 56, are provided on the leg 36 of the angle member 32. It is to be understood that the other member 32 is similarly provided with matching indicia. This pair of marks or indicia 50 enables the user of the tool to properly position the rail supporting bracket 12 transversely of the mounting bracket 14.

The use of the tool or device of the present invention will be readily understood by those persons familiar with the problem. After plumb lines 46 have been hung from the overhead beam or support at the upper end of an elevator shaft, the device 2% is leveled between a pair of opposed mounting brackets 14- which have previously been secured to the walls or structural components of the shaft.

An angle bracket 32 is secured by a bolt and nut assembly 52 to the vertical leg 35 of the rail supporting bracket 12 at each end of the device 20. The user then places the device 20 so that the horizontal leg 34 of the bracket 12 rests upon the horizontal leg of the mounting bracket 14 which has been previously fixed to the wall J14). When the line 46 on each side of the shaft is in registry with the adjacent arrow indicia 44, the mating legs of the brackets 12 and 14 are then tacked together by welding and are later completely welded together.

Any variation from true level, as observed in the spirit level 35 is corrected by adding shims between the bracket 12 and the mounting bracket 14. When the proper position of each rail support bracket is obtained, the bracket 12 iswelded or otherwise secured to the mounting bracket 14. Then the bolt and nut assemblies 52 are disconnected, freeing the device 20 for repeated use at another level or station in the elevator shaft.

It is to be understood that while the members 22, 24, 26 are shown as channel-shaped, telescoped together and releasably secured by the bolt 3d extending through the legs of each member, other configurations are of equal application and the channel shape is not a limitation on the use of the device. Tubular or other shapes of telescoping members will do as well, it being only a matter of importance that the angle members 32 being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the device; that is, longitudinal axes of the members 22, 24 and 26.

The indicia 56 on the legs 36 of the angle members 32 enable a user of the tool or device to also position the elevator rails (not shown) to the support brackets 12 after the latter have been welded to'the respective mounting brackets 14.

Other changes may be made if found practical, and within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A tool for positioning elevator support brackets on mounting brackets secured one to each of two opposed wall surfaces of an elevator shaft, said tool comprising a pair of elongated end members disposed in end to end spaced relation, a central member disposed between said end members and telescopingly connected to the portions t of said end members adjacent their inner ends, a spirit level carried by said central member, a transversely arranged angle bracket disposed adjacent the other end of each of said end members, each of said brackets being arranged with one leg horizontal and the other leg vertical and exteriorly of said one leg, each of said horizontal legs being fixedly secured to the adjacent portion of the contiguous end member, each of said vertical legs being adapted to removably support thereon a support bracket indicia on each of said end members for alignment with a plumb line depending in said shaft adjacent to and spaced from each of said Wall surfaces.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS for attachment to a Wall mounted mounting bracket, and 10 ISAAC LISANN, Primary Examiner. 

